Josh Gibson - Allegheny Cemetery

Section 50, Lot SG-C232

From a recent trip to Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh. It was my 3rd time to Allegheny Cemetery and I've stopped by Josh Gibson's grave each time.

Gibson, who was elected to the Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1972, spent his entire career in the Negro Leagues. Mostly famously with the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords. Two of the most well known Negro League teams.

Called the black Babe Ruth, Gibson has been estimated to have hit 900 home runs in his career. Probably didn't hit that many but since Negro Leagues record keeping is extremely spotty at best, less than 200 homers are accounted for. He played from 1930 to 1936 and died in 1947.

Gibson was buried in an unmarked grave until 1975 when the current marker was installed at his grave. One of the people who chipped in to buy the marker was then Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn. He died a few months before Jackie Robinson became the 1st black major league player in the 20th century. Robison was at least the 3rd black major leaguer. Moses Fleetwood Walker beat Robinson by about 60 years.

Gibson's Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Gibson

Homestead Grays:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_Grays

Pittsburgh Crawfords:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Crawfords

Gibson's son did briefly play some Negro League baseball as well.

Josh Gibson Jr. isn't in the same cemetery as his dad. Junior Gibson is actually buried in Homestead Cemetery in Pittsburgh. He played in 1949 and 1950.